Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East

REPORT FOR ACTION

Date: January 22, 2018 To: Toronto Preservation Board Toronto and East York Community Council From: Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division Wards: 28 - Toronto Centre-Rosedale

SUMMARY

This report recommends that City Council adopt the revised Reasons for Inclusion (Attachment 4) for the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East to ensure that all of the heritage values and attributes of the site are identified.

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East contains the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) headquarters (1954), comprising the adjoining office building and warehouse. The complex occupies most of the city block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East (north), Cooper Street (east), Queen's Quay East (south) and Freeland Street (west). It was listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties (now known as the Heritage Register) in 2005.

Following research and evaluation, it has been determined that the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East meets Ontario Regulation 9/06, the criteria prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, which the City of Toronto also applies for properties on its Heritage Register.

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is the subject of an application for a mixed-use development that proposes to retain the LCBO office building and partially retain the adjoining warehouse. In 2016, the provincially-owned site was sold and is now in private hands. The revised Reasons for Inclusion will assist in informing the ongoing planning process for the property, and will form the basis for the future Reasons for Designation as the site continues to evolve.

Properties on the Heritage Register will be conserved and maintained in accordance with Official Plan Heritage Policies. Designation enables City Council to review alterations to the site, enforce heritage property standards and maintenance, and refuse demolition.

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 1 of 27

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division, recommends that:

1. City Council adopt the Statement of Significance: 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East (Revised Reasons for Inclusion) attached as Attachment 4 to the report, January 22, 2018, from the Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning Division.

FINANCIAL IMPACT

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

DECISION HISTORY

At its meeting of May 21-23, 2005, City Council listed the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties, which is now known as the Heritage Register.

COMMENTS

The property was identified as a cultural heritage resource as part of a survey of the Central Waterfront (East Bayfront and Port Industrial District) and included on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties (now known as the Heritage Register) in 2005. The Reasons for Inclusion were prepared prior to the adoption of Ontario Regulation 9/06, the provincial criteria prescribed for municipal designation, which the City also applies for properties on its Heritage Register. The Revised Reasons for Inclusion (Attachment 4) expand upon the 2005 Reasons for Inclusion (Attachment 3) to consider all of the current values and attributes of the property. As the property continues to evolve from its original status as a provincially-owned site to part of the ongoing transformation of the Toronto Waterfront, additional values may be identified in the future when the property is considered for designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act.

A location map (Attachment 1) and photographs (Attachment 2) are attached. Staff have completed the Heritage Property Research and Evaluation Report (Attachment 5) for the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East and determined that it meets Ontario Regulation 9/06 under all three categories of design, associative and contextual values. The original Reasons for Inclusion (Attachment 3) and revised Reasons for Inclusion (Attachment 4) are appended.

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 2 of 27 Completed in 1954, the LCBO Complex (1954) comprises the purpose-built combined head office and warehouse of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which is valued as a significant institution in Ontario that was designed by the Toronto architectural partnership of Mather and Haldenby and contributes to the character of the Central Waterfront neighbourhood where it is historically, visually, physically and functionally linked to its setting as a surviving post-World War II commercial and industrial complex.

CONTACT

Tamara Anson-Cartwright, CAHP Program Manager Heritage Preservation Services Tel: 416-338-1083; Fax: 416-392-1973 E-mail: [email protected]

SIGNATURE

Greg Lintern, MCIP, RPP Acting Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning Division

ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 – Location Map Attachment 2 – Photographs Attachment 3 – Reasons for Inclusion (2005) Attachment 4 - Revised Reasons for Inclusion (2018) Attachment 5 – Heritage Property Research and Evaluation Report

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 3 of 27

ATTACHMENT 1 LOCATION MAP - 55 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD EAST

This location map is for information purposes only; the exact boundaries of the property are not show. The arrow marks the location of the site.

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 4 of 27 PHOTOGRAPHS: 55 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD EAST ATTACHMENT 2

Current Photograph: showing the west elevations of the LCBO Office Building (left) and the Warehouse (right) (Heritage Preservation Services)

Archival Photograph, 1955: showing the east elevations of the LCBO Office Building (right) and Warehouse (left) (Panda Associates, Canadian Architectural Archives)

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 5 of 27 ORIGINAL REASONS FOR INCLUSION ATTACHMENT 3

55 Lake Shore Boulevard East: LCBO Offices and Warehouse (Ward 28)

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is identified as a significant heritage resource for architectural reasons. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) acquired the north part of the present site in 1947, directing the construction of a 4- storey office building. Three years later, the property was extended south to Queen’s Quay East where a three-storey warehouse was completed. The opening of the complex reflected the accelerated development of the East Bayfront after World War II in anticipation of the completion of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The LCBO Offices and Warehouse are designed in the Modern style introduced to Toronto following World War II and recognized by the simplicity of the design elements. The complex forms a U-shaped plan that is enclosed at the east end and, on the west, linked by an overhead pedestrian bridge at the third-floor level. Clad with beige brick and trimmed with stone, the office building and warehouse are covered by flat roofs, with a cornice on the north façade of the offices. Significant features on the office building are the flat-headed window openings with steel windows and balustrades, and the entrance porches with glass and stone detailing on the north and west walls. The symmetrical pattern of the fenestration continues on the warehouse, where the window openings mix flat-headed, square and strip windows with stone trim.

The property occupies the city block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East (north), Cooper Street (east), Queen’s Quay East (south) and Freeland Street (west). The LCBO retail outlet at the south end of the property is excluded from this description. With its size and Modern design, the LCBO Offices and Warehouse complex is an important visual feature in the East Bayfront.

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 6 of 27 ATTACHMENT 4

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: 55 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD EAST (REVISED REASONS FOR INCLUSION)

LCBO Complex

Description

Located east of Yonge Street and occupying the city block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East (north) and Queen’s Quay East (south) between Cooper and Freeland streets, the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East contains a commercial and industrial complex that was commissioned by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and completed in 1954 according to the plans of the Toronto architectural partnership of Mathers and Haldenby. The LCBO Complex consists of the four-storey office building facing Lake Shore Boulevard East that is linked by an overhead pedestrian bridge to the three-storey warehouse to the south. At the southwest corner of the property, the detached single-storey building was designed as a garage, repurposed in 1958 for a retail store (replacing the outlet that was originally located inside the office building), and subsequently modified. The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East was listed on the City of Toronto’s Inventory of Heritage Properties (now known as the Heritage Register) in 2005.

Statement of Significance

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East has cultural heritage value for the design of the combined commercial and industrial complex, which was purpose-built for the LCBO with its Modern styling, high degree of craftsmanship and functional organization of the individual buildings. The Modern design employs symmetry and shared cladding to link the components of the site, which are distinguished individually by their scale, fenestration and detailing.

The LCBO Complex is valued for its historical association with the acclaimed Toronto architectural partnership of Mathers and Haldenby, which prepared the plans for the complex in 1950. Headed by Alvan Sherlock Mathers (1895-1965) and Eric Wilson Haldenby (1893-1971) and following its formation in the 1920s, the firm was recognized for the wide range of projects it executed, including its contributions to the University of Toronto's St. George campus and the industrial complexes for Coca-Cola Limited across Canada. The commission for the LCBO's headquarters in Toronto was followed by Mathers and Haldenby's combined office and warehouse facility (1961) for Christie Brown and Company in Etobicoke.

The value of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is through its association with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), the provincially-owned agency that, with the Liquor License Board of Ontario (LLBO), commissioned the complex. In operation since 1927, the LCBO consolidated its activities in this location with its office headquarters and the massive warehouse that included facilities for the distilling, bottling and storage of its own brand of liquor. As the largest purchaser of liquor and

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 7 of 27 spirits in the world, the LCBO oversaw its retail and distribution system across the province from this complex at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East.

The associative value of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is also through its contribution to the transformation of Toronto' waterfront after World War II. Prior to this, in the early 20th century, the waterfront had been extended and modernized with dredging, lakefill, breakwaters, permanent dock walls and slips that provided multiple points of access for water, rail and road transportation. The section east of Yonge Street was prepared for the impending opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway (1959) where large tracts of land were acquired for commercial and manufacturing facilities, including the marine terminals on the Queen Elizabeth Docks (no longer extant) and the LCBO Complex, which led to the post-war revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront.

Contextually, the LCBO Complex supports and maintains the historic character of Toronto’s central waterfront as it was expanded and modernized in the 20th century. Anchored on the east end by the extant silo of the Victory Soya Mills (completed 1948), this section of the waterfront east of Yonge Street is associated with the large-scale facilities that marked its post-World War II development and the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The LCBO Complex is an important surviving reminder of the ongoing transformation of the central waterfront during this era.

The LCBO Complex is historically, visually, functionally and physically linked to its setting where it occupies the entire block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East, Queen’s Quay East and Cooper and Freeland streets and was situated to access the water, rail and road links along Toronto’s central waterfront. In this location, it reflects the commercial and industrial heritage of the area, along with the neighbouring Redpath Sugar Complex (1957) at 95 Queen’s Quay East, which is also recognized on the City’s Heritage Register.

Heritage Attributes

The heritage attributes of the LCBO Complex on the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East are:

The Office Building with:

• The placement, setback and orientation of the structure on the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard East between Cooper and Freeland streets where it is connected to the warehouse to the south by an overhead pedestrian bridge • The scale, form and massing of the four–storey building with the rectangular-shaped plan • The flat roofline with the stone coping and the penthouse with the brick cladding • The materials, with the buff brick cladding and the brick, stone and metal detailing, which complements the adjoining warehouse • The principal (north) entrance to the building, which is centred in the wall in the glazed porch with the granite detailing and the cantilevered roof, with the metal “Province of Ontario” crest on the right (west) side • On all of the elevations, the symmetrical arrangement of the window openings, which are recessed and set in stone frames

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 8 of 27 • On the north elevation, the flat-headed window openings, which are reduced in height in the first (ground) floor with the continuous stone lintels and sills, and have metal balustrades in the upper three stories • The side elevations (east and west), which display flat-headed window openings with stone trim and, in the upper stories, metal balustrades • On the west elevation, the entrance (originally designed for the retail store), which is set in the raised porch with the glazing, metal detailing and cantilevered roof • The east elevation, where the single entrance with the flat-headed surround is centered in the first (ground) floor • On the rear (south) elevation, the cargo door opening at the west end of the first (ground) floor, and the window openings, including those in the second floor that are reduced in height above the adjoining single-storey building that was designed as a truck-loading bay for the warehouse (south) • The overhead pedestrian bridge with the copper cladding and the flat-headed openings connecting the south wall of the office building to the north wall of the warehouse • On the interior, the entrance lobby (north) with the stone and metal detailing (the lobby was partially altered in the 1990s)

The Warehouse with:

• The placement, setback and orientation of the structure, which is placed south of the office building, to which it is connected by the overhead pedestrian bridge, and extends from Cooper Street (east) to Freeland Street (west) • The scale, form and massing of the three–storey building with the rectangular- shaped plan • The flat roofline with the stone coping and the brick-clad penthouse • The materials, with the concrete construction, the buff brick cladding, and the brick, stone and metal detailing, which complements the adjoining office building • On all of the elevations, the regular placement of the window openings, which are recessed and placed in stone surrounds • The west elevation on Freeland Street, with the mixture of the flat-headed window openings with the stone trim, the punched windows and, in the first storey, the paired window openings that are protected by the canopy and placed beside the cargo door • On the south elevation facing Queen’s Quay East, the flat-headed window openings with the continuous lintels and sills at the west end, the punched windows in the remainder of the wall, and the entrances in the first (ground) floor (which are additions) • The east elevation on Cooper Street, with the flat-headed window openings with the continuous stone lintels and sills in the first and third stories, the punched windows in the second floor, the two tall window openings for the stairwells (which have been blocked in), and the flat-headed entrance at the south end with the rolling steel door (designed to accommodate rail cars) • The north elevation facing the office building, with the glazed entrance porch at the west end of the first floor (which has been altered), the flat-headed window openings with the stone trim, some of which have metal balustrades, and the punched windows at the east end of the wall

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 9 of 27 • At the north end of the warehouse where it is connected to the office building (north), the single-storey building designed as a truck-loading bay with the brick cladding, the covered roof with the skylights, the canted corners, the openings for rolling doors (east and west) and, on the northeast corner, the flat-headed window openings with the continuous stone lintels and sills • The overhead pedestrian bridge with the copper cladding and the flat-headed openings connecting the north wall of the warehouse to the south wall of the office building

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 10 of 27 ATTACHMENT 4

HERITAGE PROPERTY RESEARCH AND EVALUATION REPORT

LCBO COMPLEX 55 LAKE SHORE BOULEVARD EAST, TORONTO

Prepared by:

Heritage Preservation Services City Planning Division City of Toronto

December 2017

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 11 of 27 1. DESCRIPTION

Cover and above: aerial photograph showing the site, with the image oriented with north on the bottom (www.bing.com/maps)

55 Lake Shore Boulevard East: LCBO Complex ADDRESS 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East (north of Queen’s Quay Boulevard East between Freeland and Cooper streets) WARD Ward 28 (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) LEGAL DESCRIPTION Plan 754E, Part Block B NEIGHBOURHOOD/COMMUNITY Waterfront HISTORICAL NAME LCBO Headquarters CONSTRUCTION DATE 1954 (completed) ORIGINAL OWNER Government of Ontario ORIGINAL USE Commercial and Industrial (LCBO Office Building and Warehouse) CURRENT USE* Commercial (LCBO Office Building and Warehouse) * This does not refer to permitted use(s) as defined by the Zoning By-law ARCHITECT/BUILDER/DESIGNER Mathers and Haldenby, architects DESIGN/CONSTRUCTION/MATERIALS Steel and concrete construction with brick cladding and brick, stone, metal and wood trim ARCHITECTURAL STYLE Modern ADDITIONS/ALTERATIONS See Section 2 CRITERIA Design/Physical, Historical/Associative and Contextual HERITAGE STATUS Listed on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register RECORDER Heritage Preservation Services: Kathryn Anderson REPORT DATE December 2017

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 12 of 27 2. BACKGROUND

This research and evaluation report describes the history, architecture and context of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East, and applies evaluation criteria to determine whether it merits designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act. The conclusions of the research and evaluation are found in Section 4 (Summary). i. HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Key Date Historical Event 1793-1911 Following the founding of the Town of York (Toronto) on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the harbour is developed with municipal and commercial wharves, including those introduced by the first railway companies in the 1850s (the transformation of the waterfront is illustrated in the images in Section 6 below) 1911 The City of Toronto establishes the Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) to manage the municipally-owned land along the waterfront 1912-1921 The THC unveils its series of plans for the development of the central waterfront, including the southward extension of the shoreline through dredging and lakefill 1927 Following the end of prohibition in Ontario, the provincial government creates the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to manage liquor sales 1946 June The THC registers Plan 754E in the area south of present-day Lake Shore Boulevard East, between Freeland and Cooper streets, including Block B 1947 Aug The LCBO purchases land in Block B (the subject property) 1950 June The LCBO acquires additional land adjoining Queen’s Quay East and Freeland Street 1950 Sept The LCBO submits an application to the City to build an office and warehouse building on the subject property, and secures an easement for "construction of the proposed building" two months later 1953 The foundations for the complex are in place and recorded in aerial photographs 1954 The LCBO Complex is opened for business 1955 The new LCBO complex is photographed by Panda (Images 4a- 4f) 1964 The LCBO Complex is illustrated on the Underwriters’ Survey Bureau’s updated atlas (Image 2e) 1982 An application is made to alter the exterior of the warehouse, including a loading dock on the west elevation the following year (1983) 2005 May Toronto City Council lists the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East on the City Heritage Inventory (now known as the Heritage Register)

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 13 of 27

ii. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Waterfront:1

The property at 351 Lake Shore Boulevard East is located on Toronto’s Central Waterfront.2 The origins of the development of this area date to 1793 when York (Toronto) was founded as the new capital of Upper Canada (Ontario). The site was chosen for its defensible position on Lake Ontario, where (Old) Fort York was placed at the western entrance to the harbour and, to the east, a ten-block townsite (with present- day Front Street East as the south boundary) overlooked the waterfront. Further east, an isthmus (sandbar) extended south from the shore between present-day Parliament and Cherry Streets where it sheltered the harbour until 1858 when it was detached during a series of storms.3 Apart from the land along the shoreline near the town that was reserved for a public walkway (The Esplanade), the "use of the waterfront remained restricted to commercial and transportation functions."4

During the first half of the 19th century, the series of government and commercial wharves that were constructed along the waterfront using cribbing and filling were outlined on historical maps and illustrations (including those attached as Images 2a and 2b). The Gooderham and Worts Distillery was established in 1832 as one of the first industries on the waterfront where its windmill (positioned east of Parliament Street) was the basis for the "Old Windmill Line" – an invisible boundary between this landmark and the historic location of Fort Rouillé near Dufferin Street – that marked the proposed southward extension of the shoreline.

The use of the waterfront almost exclusively for lake shipping was challenged in the mid-19th century by the arrival of the inaugural steam railways in Toronto. The Grand Trunk Railway was the first railway company to integrate rail and lake shipping after establishing its own dock, grain elevator and maintenance yard adjoining the central waterfront. Co-opted and extended for the rail corridor, The Esplanade continued to outline the shoreline along the central waterfront where wharves were created, enlarged or replaced.

In 1911, the City of Toronto appointed the Toronto Harbour Commissioners (forerunner to today's Toronto Port Authority) to oversee the future development of the waterfront, transferring all of the city-owned property along the existing shoreline to the agency's care. The THC's Waterfront Plan of 1912 divided the central waterfront into three sections where the central waterfront was flanked to the east by the Port Industrial District (created following the dredging of Ashbridge's Bay and now known as the Port Lands), as well as the western sector where entertainment venues such as Sunnyside

1Detailed histories of the development of Toronto’s waterfront are found in Stinson and Moir, Wickson and other sources, including those cited in Section 5 below 2 In the late 20th century, the area was known as the East Bayfront and its development was documented by Stinson and Moir (1991) 3 The peninsula was originally known as Fisherman's Island and, following its detachment from the main land (where the Eastern Gap was later secured) became the Toronto Islands 4 The Archaeological Masterplan of the Central Waterfront, City of Toronto, 17 Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 14 of 27 Amusement Park opened in the1920s. Across the waterfront, dredging and lakefill extended the shoreline southward to create additional industrial land and deep-water docks in anticipation of future needs. Between World Wars I and II, the THC established new bulkhead lines for the second phase of its reclamation of the waterfront where permanent concrete docks were constructed adjoining new slips (Images 2c-2d).

Most of the industrial activity on the central waterfront was suspended for the duration of World War II with the area reserved for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s supply depot. After the conflict, the long-planned south extension of the waterfront was completed and, following the revival of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Queen Elizabeth Docks were officially unveiled near the east end of Toronto's harbour in 1959.5 At the close of the 20th century, much of the industry along the central waterfront faltered and plans were introduced to transform portions of the area for mixed recreational, cultural, commercial and residential uses.

Archival maps and atlases (including those found in Section 6 below) trace the development of the Central Waterfront and illustrate the appearance of the subject property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East.

55 Lake Shore Boulevard East:

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard contains a commercial and industrial complex commissioned by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), opened in 1954 and documented by Panda Photography in 1955 (Images 4a-f). Other photographs appended in Section 6 show the complex in its setting on the Central Waterfront (Images 3a-3h).

In 1927, over a decade after the introduction of prohibition legislation in Ontario (1916), the Province established the Liquor Control Board of Ontario under the Liquor Control Act. The purpose of the organization was to distribute spirits, wine and beer to consumers and retail businesses, test and price products sold to the public and, until 1944, issue liquor licences. It doing so, the LCBO aimed to “rationalize and control the vast and geographically diverse liquor distribution system,” as well as “to stimulate temperance and home training rather than simply prohibiting” alcohol.6 Its operations began during a climate of social activism when liquor producers were pitted against temperance ideals.

By the World War II era, the LCBO authorized more than 250 liquor and brewers’ retail establishments across the province. At this time, its headquarters were housed in an office building on University Avenue, with separate warehouse facilities throughout the province, including one in Toronto. In 1947, the LCBO acquired a parcel of reclaimed waterfront land east of Yonge Street where, a year earlier, the THC registered a plan of subdivision. The LCBO's custom-built facility with administrative, manufacturing, warehousing and transportation functions was consolidated in this one location and

5 Plans for the development of the Seaway dated back as early as 1919 when the Canadian and American governments first negotiated hydro-electric contracts and navigation plans. In Toronto, following the opening of the Queen Elizabeth Docks, the Gardiner Expressway was extended between York Street and the Don Valley Parkway in 1964, providing direct highway access from the waterfront 6 Thompson, 28 Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 15 of 27 opened in 1954. A retail operation was originally found inside the office building, before it was relocated to a remodelled garage in the southwest corner of the site.7

From its headquarters at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East, at the close of the 20th century the LCBO remained the largest purchaser of liquor and spirits in the world, overseeing 600 stores. It operated five warehouses, including the one on the subject site where alcoholic products were repackaged for distribution across the province and facilities were included for the production of its own brand of liquor.

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East was listed on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties (now known as the Heritage Register) in 2005.

Architects Mathers and Haldenby

The Toronto architectural partnership of Mathers and Haldenby prepared the plans for the LCBO complex in 1950. The practice was formed in 1921 by architect Eric W. Haldenby (1893-1971), a recent graduate of the University of Toronto, and Alvan S. Mathers (1895-1965), who had experience working with a number of local architectural firms. After their early success as winners of a competition to design the University Club Building (1929), Mathers and Haldenby received high-profile commissions including the Canada Permanent Building on Bay Street (1931, in association with other architects) and the main building for Upper Canada College (1932). Prior to World War II, Mathers and Haldenby designed a range of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential buildings in the popular styles of this era. However, the firm’s ability to adjust to changing architectural tastes and embrace new technologies resulted in commissions linked to the Modern Movement in architecture during the last half of the 20th century when Mathers and Haldenby completed projects for the University of Toronto, Toronto General Hospital and, throughout Canada, Coca-Cola Limited, which remained long- term clients. The LCBO complex is linked to this period of productivity and, with its campus-style layout of buildings, was followed by Christie Brown and Company's combined office and warehouse facility in Etobicoke (1961). Following the transfer of the company to their sons, Andrew S. Mathers and Douglas C. Haldenby continued their partnership until 1991. iii. ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION

Current photographs of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East are found on the cover and in Sections 2 and 6 of this report.

The LCBO Complex displays the features of the Modern Movement in architecture, which was introduced in the mid-20th century and influenced design in Toronto in the post-World War II era. Distinguished by geometric forms, an emphasis on function and the application of new materials and technologies, the Modern design of the LBCO complex employs symmetry and shared cladding to link the components, while distinguishing them by the individual scale, fenestration and detailing. Its layout reflects

7 The garage was not identified in the listing of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties (now known as the Heritage Register) and, with the alterations to the building that have impacted its integrity, it is not identified as a heritage attribute in this report Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 16 of 27 the approach after World War II to the planning of a large-scale facility on an expansive site served by a number of transportation links. The plan places the office headquarters at the north end of the property, reserving the bulk of the site for the adjoining warehouse with the scale to accommodate the storage and repackaging of beverage alcohol, as well as the LCBO’s testing laboratory and bottling plant. With its proximity to the waterfront, the site was designed for truck access to nearby highways and provided a railway spur with a track that originally extended inside the warehouse.

The Office Building and Warehouse form the core buildings of the complex and complement one another in their context, with the single-storey structure and overhead pedestrian bridge connecting them, as well as their rectangular-shaped plans (with different heights and scales) and their shared buff brick cladding, symmetrically-placed openings and flat roofs with stone coping and penthouses.

The Office Building is distinguished by the detailing on its principal (north) elevation where the entrance is protected by a projecting single-storey enclosed porch with stone and glazing that is adorned with the provincial crest. The adjoining flat-headed openings in the first (ground) floor have stone lintels and sills in the centre section, stone frames and sills in the outer bays (east and west), and contain recessed steel windows with muntin bars. The openings in the upper stories are taller and feature stone frames and sills, steel windows with muntin bars, and metal balustrades. The side elevations (east and west) contain secondary entrances, with the raised west entrance on Freeland Street (designed for the retail store before its relocation) covered by the glazed flat-roofed porch that is accessed by stone steps, and the recessed entry on Cooper Street. On both side elevations, the fenestration is continued from the north elevation, with the flat-headed openings with the stone and metal detailing, as well as metal balustrades in the second through the fourth stories. Part of the rear (south) elevation is concealed by the grade-level connection and the bridge to the warehouse (south) that also reduces the height of the some of the window openings. Otherwise, the wall contains flat-headed window openings with the stone detailing and the steel windows introduced on the other elevations (excluding the balustrades), with door openings (some of which have been modified) in the ground floor. On the interior, the entrance lobby at the north end, while modified, has two levels with interior steps and stone and steel finishes.

South of and attached to the Office Building, the Warehouse complements it in its overall appearance, but is distinguished by the sheer scale, the concrete construction (including an interior grid of concrete columns, seen in Image 4f), and the variety of its fenestration that reflected the interior functions. The latter ranges from the flat-headed and punched windows with stone trim on all elevations, to the oversized openings (designed to light the stairwells and presently infilled) on the east wall. On the north elevation, some of the window openings have metal balustrades, complementing those on the office building. There is a single-storey entrance porch at the west end of the warehouse (which has been altered) and, to the north, a single-storey building linking the warehouse and office building that was designed as a truck-loading bay and displays a covered roof, skylights, canted corners and openings for rolling doors. On the west and east elevations of the warehouse, the oversized cargo openings with canopies include one at the south end of the east wall that provided access for rail cars. The original loading dock entrances are found on the north elevation. On the south

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 17 of 27 elevation facing Queen's Quay East the loading dock and railway siding were removed and the entrances along this wall are additions.

Directly south of the Warehouse in the southwest corner of the property, the original garage was converted to a retail store. While altered, it complements the other buildings with its buff brick cladding with stone detailing, flat rooflines, and regularly placed door and window openings. iv. CONTEXT

The property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is shown on the location map attached as Image 1. The LCBO Complex occupies the city block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East (north), Cooper Street (east), Queen’s Quay East (south), and Freeland Street (west) in the Central Waterfront neighbourhood. Directly south, the Redpath Sugar Complex (1957) at 95 Queen's Quay East is also recognized on the City of Toronto’s Heritage Register. At the north end, the complex faces Lake Shore Boulevard East and the Gardiner Expressway, with the railway corridor beyond. The adjoining properties on the east and west have been redeveloped and, further east, the Marine Terminals from the 1950s that highlighted the Queen Elizabeth Docks have been replaced.

In its wider context, the LCBO Complex is one of the few surviving buildings intended for commercial and industrial purposes that remains from the development of Toronto's Central Waterfront in the 20th century. West of Yonge Street, the Canada Malting Silos (1928, with subsequent additions) at present-day Eireann Quay and Bathurst Street, and the Toronto Terminal Warehouse (1928 and now know as Queen's Quay Terminal) at 207 Queen's Quay West are recognized heritage properties. At the east end of the Central Waterfront, Victory Soya Mills (1944) at 351 Lake Shore Boulevard East is also listed on the City's Heritage Register.8

3. EVALUATION

The following evaluation applies Ontario Regulation 9/06 made under the Ontario Heritage Act: Criteria for Determining Cultural Heritage Value or Interest. While the criteria are prescribed for municipal designation under Part IV, Section 29 of the Ontario Heritage Act, the City of Toronto uses it when assessing properties for inclusion on the City of Toronto's Heritage Register. The evaluation table is marked “N/A” if the criterion is “not applicable” to the property or X if it is applicable, with explanatory text below.

Design or Physical Value i. rare, unique, representative or early example of a style, type, expression, X material or construction method ii. displays high degree of craftsmanship or artistic merit X iii. demonstrates high degree of scientific or technical achievement N/A

8 In 2016, City Council stated its intention to designate the property. As of the writing of this report, the designating by-law has not been passed. Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 18 of 27 The property 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East has cultural heritage value for the design of the combined commercial and industrial complex, which was purpose-built for the LCBO with its Modern styling, high degree of craftsmanship and functional organization of the individual buildings. The Modern design employs symmetry and shared cladding to link the components of the site, which are distinguished individually by their scale, fenestration and detailing.

Historical or Associative Value i. direct associations with a theme, event, belief, person, activity, organization X or institution that is significant to a community ii. yields, or has the potential to yield, information that contributes to an X understanding of a community or culture iii. demonstrates or reflects the work or ideas of an architect, artist, builder, X designer or theorist who is significant to a community

The LCBO Complex is valued for its association with the acclaimed Toronto architectural partnership of Mathers and Haldenby, which prepared the plans for the complex in 1950. Headed by Alvan Sherlock Mathers (1895-1965) and Eric Wilson Haldenby (1893-1971) and following its formation in the 1920s, the firm was recognized for the wide range of projects it executed, including its contributions to the University of Toronto's St. George campus and the industrial complexes for Coca-Cola Limited across Canada. The commission for the LCBO's headquarters in Toronto was followed by Mathers and Haldenby's combined office and warehouse facility (1961) for Christie Brown and Company in Etobicoke.

The associative value of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East is also through its contribution to the transformation of Toronto' waterfront after World War II. Prior to this, in the early 20th century, the waterfront had been extended and modernized with dredging, lakefill, breakwaters, permanent dock walls and slips that provided multiple points of access for water, rail and road transportation. The section east of Yonge Street was prepared for the impending opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway (1959) where large tracts of land were acquired for commercial and manufacturing facilities, including the marine terminals on the Queen Elizabeth Docks (no longer extant) and the LCBO Complex Quay East, which led to the post-war revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront.

Contextual Value i. important in defining, maintaining or supporting the character of an area X ii. physically, functionally, visually or historically linked to its surroundings X iii. landmark N/A

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The LCBO Complex is historically, visually, functionally and physically linked to its setting where it occupies the entire block bounded by Lake Shore Boulevard East, Queen’s Quay East, and Cooper and Freeland streets and was situated to access the water, rail and road links along Toronto’s central waterfront. In this location, it reflects the commercial and industrial heritage of the area, along with the neighbouring Redpath Sugar Complex (1957) at 95 Queen’s Quay East, which is also recognized on the City’s Heritage Register.

4. SUMMARY

Following research and evaluation according to Regulation 9/06, it has been determined that the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East has design, associative and contextual value as the purpose-built combined head office and warehouse (1954) of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), a significant institution in Ontario, which was designed by the Toronto architectural partnership of Mather and Haldenby and contributes to the character of the Central Waterfront neighbourhood where it is historically, visually, physically and functionally linked to its setting as a surviving post- World War II commercial and industrial complex.

5. SOURCES

Archival Sources:

• Abstract Index of Deeds, Plan 754E, Block B, and Plan 159E, Marshland • Archival Maps, 1797-1897, http://oldtorontomaps.blogspot.ca/p/index-of-maps.html • Archival Photographs, Canadian Architectural Archives, City of Toronto Archives, and http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2015/04/lcbo-lands-sale-fund-infrastructure- projects-across-ontario (individual citations in Section 6). • Assessment Rolls, City of Toronto, 1940 ff. • Building Records, City of Toronto, Toronto and East York, 1950 ff. • Goad's Atlases, 1884-1923 (Volume 1) • Toronto Harbour Commission Plans, 1912, 1914-21 and 1939 • Underwriters Survey Bureau Atlas, 1954

Secondary Sources:

• “Alvan Sherlock Mathers,” entry in Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada, 1800-1905, http://dictionaryofarchitectsincanada.org/node/1468

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 20 of 27 • Archaeological Services Inc., in association with Historica Research Limited and Cuesta Systems Inc., The Archaeological Master Plan of the Central Waterfront, City of Toronto, 2003 • Englehardt, George W., Toronto, Canada: The Book of its Board of Trade, 1897-98, 1898 • Feltoe, Richard, Let Redpath Sweeten It, 1993 • Filey, Mike, A Walker’s, Jogger’s, Cycler’s, Boater’s Guide to Toronto’s Waterfront, • 1988 • Gibson, Sally, More Than an Island, 1984 • ------, Toronto′s Distillery District, 2008 • Heritage Preservation Services, "Heritage Property Research and Evaluation Report, 351 Lake Shore Boulevard East," 2016 • “LCBO: Corporate Timeline,” http://www.lcbo.com/content/lcbo/en/corporate- pages/about/media-centre/corporate-timeline.html#.WIfht4WcHIU • Mathers and Haldenby Fonds, Archives of Ontario, Fonds C315 • The Port and Harbour of Toronto, 1834-1934: Centennial Year, Toronto Harbour • Commissioners, 1934 • Royal Commission on the Future of the Toronto Waterfront, Regeneration: Toronto Waterfront and the Sustainable City: final report, 1992 • Scott, Thompson, et. al., Punched Drunk, 2009 • Stinson, Jeffrey, and Michael Moir, Built Heritage of the East Bayfront, 1991 • Toronto Harbour: the passing years, Toronto Harbour Commissioners, 1985 • Wickson, Ted, Reflections of Toronto Harbour, 2004

Revised Reasons for Inclusion - 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East Page 21 of 27 6. IMAGES – maps and atlases are followed by other archival images and current photographs. The arrows mark the location of the subject property. All images are oriented with north on the top unless indicated in the captions.

1. Location Map, 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East: showing the location of the property at 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East where the arrow marks the LCBO Office Building and Warehouse (City of Toronto Property Data Map).

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2a. Town of York Plan, 1818, and 2b. Fleming, et. al., Plan, 1857: showing the development of wharves along the waterfront in the early 19th century and its southward extension in the mid-1800s where the first railway line is in place

2b and 2c. THC’s Plans, 1912 (left) and 1914-21 (right): showing the agency's designs for the further development and expansion of the Central Waterfront

2d. and 2e. THC’s Progress Plan, 1939 (left), and Underwriters’ Survey Bureau Survey, 1964 (right): showing the status of the Central Waterfront during the World War II era when plans for the St. Lawrence Seaway were underway (left), and the LCBO Complex in place (right)

2. Archival Maps, Atlases and Plans: http://oldtorontomaps.blogspot.ca/p/index-of- maps.html; Port of Toronto and TTC Plans, Stinson; and, Toronto Public Library.

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3a, 3b and 3c. Aerial photographs, 1947 (left), 1953 (centre) and 1956 (right), showing the cleared site, the foundations and the completion of the LCBO Complex

3d, 3e and 3f. Aerial photographs, 1950s (left),1960s (centre) and 1970s (right), showing the changing context of the LCBO Complex

3g. and 3h. Aerial photographs, 1980s (left) and 1990s (right)

3. Aerial Photographs, 55 Lake Shore Boulevard East: City of Toronto Archives, including Series 1465, Item 23 (1960s), Item 35 (1980s), and Item 91 (1970s); 3g. Stinson, cover

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4a, 4b and 4c. LCBO office building and warehouse from the north (left), the warehouse from the south (centre), and bridge connecting the office building and warehouse (right) in 1955

4d, 4e and 4f. LCBO Garage (later retail store, left), the interior of the office building (centre), and the interior of the warehouse (right), in 1955

4g, 4h and 4i. LCBO retail store and warehouse (left), 1972; LCBO office building and warehouse from west, 1991; and, LCBO office building and warehouse from the east, 2014

4. Archival Images, LCBO Complex: Panda Associates, Canadian Architectural Archives, 1955; City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 2032, Item 24, 1972; Stinson, 1991; and http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2015/04/lcbo-lands-sale-fund-infrastructure-projects- across-ontario, 2014.

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5a. LCBO Complex, with the office building (left) and the warehouse (right) from west

5b and 5c. Office Building, with the north elevation (left) and the west and south elevations (right)

5d and 5e. Office Building, showing the east elevation and part of south elevation (left), and the enclosed link between the office building and the warehouse from east (right)

5. Current Photographs, LCBO Complex, Office Building (Heritage Preservation Services).

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6a. Warehouse, showing the west elevation (left) and the south elevation (right)

6b and 6c. Warehouse, with the east elevation and part of the north elevation (left), and the west elevation and part of the north elevation (right)

6d and 6e. Warehouse, with the south and east elevations (left), and the west elevation (right)

6. Current Photographs, LCBO Complex, Warehouse (Heritage Preservation Services).

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